The Atlantic Ocean is on the Brink of Collapse, and Our World Could Get Much Colder as a Result

However, a recent study shows that the Atlantic Ocean could actually be getting colder. While this may mean declining temperatures on Earth, the result could be just as dangerous as a heat wave.

Although they are all but invisible above the surface, deep below, there are several ginormous currents within the oceans of our planet.

They collectively create the global conveyor belt, which plays a large role in the climate of the planet.

They are both made up of several currents, large and small, but the AMOC is mainly responsible for transporting the warmer waters of the southern tropics to the cold North Atlantic.

However, as the AMOC functions, thanks to the temperature of the water and the weather above the surface, and as the planet’s climate changes, so will the AMOC’s many currents.

This is the result of temperature and atmospheric changes because these changes directly affect the salinity and, consequently, the density of the ocean’s waters.

“The colder and saltier the water is, the greater its density, and the easier it is for its mass to sink. Whereas if the water is warm and fresh (i.e., not salty), it is lighter and therefore stays at the surface more,” he said.

This layer of fresh water on top of the saltwater could ultimately lead to potential disaster for the Atlantic Ocean. 

If too much fresh water is introduced into the ocean due to melting glaciers, it could become a major problem for the Atlantic Ocean and the AMOC.

“The lower latitudes are expected to increase in surface salinity due to higher temperatures and hence more evaporation,” he said.

“However, higher latitudes may freshen due to ice melt and receive more precipitation. Depending on the trends and ocean currents, you can have different salinity responses,” Van Westen states.

The scientists studying this area are building a model that will simulate changes over 2,000 years, hoping to calculate when the AMOC will collapse.

Rising air and ocean temperatures, as well as the ever-increasing freshwater influx from melting ice sheets in the Arctic, are changing the way the AMOC functions. 

Researchers are now battling against time to come up with several ways to ensure the AMOC doesn’t collapse.

The first dilemma will likely be that coastal areas in Northwestern Europe, and eventually the entire continent, will become much colder. 

Rainforests will see significantly less rainfall. Last but certainly not least, the sea level along the coasts of the Atlantic could rise by tens of centimeters.

Some say there is not enough evidence to say for sure when the AMOC will weaken to the point of collapse and the world will experience these dangerous consequences. But others argue it could happen within the next 10 years.

“This is a sort of $2 million question,” he said. “Can this actually happen? And if so, when?”

According to the research, the AMOC is far less powerful than it was in the first half of the 18th century before the Industrial Revolution.

If the currents continue to weaken at the rate they have been for the past 250-odd years, they will undoubtedly reach this point, and it could be disastrous for the ocean and humanity. 

About 12,900 years ago, a giant frozen lake called Lake Agassiz melted completely and spilled an incredible amount of freshwater into the ocean.

The Younger Dryas is a period of periodic cooling that occurred around 11,600 years ago. This event disrupted a warming trend and plunged a large portion of the Northern hemisphere back into an ice age.

The increasing concentration of carbon dioxide is causing the atmosphere to warm an an already alarming rate. If the AMOC were to slow down, the Earth would freeze quickly despite the warming temperatures.

Researches have been studying the AMOC for decades, hoping to understand the changing currents.

Scientists know that the AMOC is affected by temperature and salinity, but there is no formula to put the pieces together to create an accurate estimation of how quickly the AMOC is slowing down.

Even convincing historical evidence that the AMOC collapsed during the Younger Dryas is not a good indicator of what is happening to the AMOC today.

Some areas could experience a dramatic drop in temperature every decade.

As the ocean temperature fluctuates in particular areas in the North Atlantic, a study suggests that the AMOC tip could start between 2025 and 2095.

The authors of the reports write: “these results are under the assumption that the model is approximately correct.”

However, one of the most challenging aspects of ocean modeling lies in accurately capturing the interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere.

The weather service does predict that the weakening AMOC will bring less warm weather over the 21st century.

Van Westen and co-authors are publishing a modeling paper that shows how much fresh water would need to enter the Atlantic to cause the AMOC to collapse.

Ongoing research offers hope that as scientists delve deeper into the AMOC’s intricacies, they will improve their ability to accurately assess the likelihood of its collapse.

However, Van Westen claims, “We need to rule out such a potential future scenario” by further investigating the damage already caused.

Otherwise, the planet will look entirely different sooner rather than later, either because of an ice age caused by the AMOC collapse or extreme weather and heat, and both are equally terrifying.

“And therefore, very urgent climate action is needed to limit our impact on Earth,” he said.